Confessions of a Colonel and His Lady
by Angoliel
Summary: Colonel Brandon and Marianne indulge in love letters while he is in London settling business affairs shortly after he proposed to her. I wrote this because I am simply mad about Alan Rickman, and I had to show Brandon's sentimental, romantic side.
1. Promise Me

**Disclaimers**: I do not own Colonel Brandon or Marianne. They belong to the late Jane Austen, the most wonderful lady novelist I have ever read. I only hope one day to be like her in greatness. But I am vain and quite proud...

**Spoilers**: _Sense and Sensibility_ starring Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon and Kate Winslet as Marianne.

**Summary**: Colonel Brandon sends Marianne an affectionate love letter shortly after he departs to London to settle affairs; he and Marianne are engaged, and so he has liberty to be so bold as to send her such things. Her influence of sensibility on him adds a bit of...boldness to his letters.

_My Dearest Marianne,_

_Here I am in London, where I fear I shall be separated from you for some weeks. I hope my letter finds you well. If not I shall return to you directly, for I do not desire that your illness from several months ago should be repeated._

_I must confess that my outlook on life and that which surrounds me leaves me feeling listless and dare I say it...lonely. My only joy while I reside in Delaford has been to see you, since I first heard your voice when you played at Barton Park. It enchanted me so, as only an angel could. _

_Ah, your influence upon this old man seems to be shewing forth now. It seems, my dear, I have adopted your tendencies for sensibility, to some extent. I hope that you do not find my confessions to be overly bold. It has been some time since I allowed my feelings to be shown a woman, and I fear I am a bit awkward in doing so. But I think you will enjoy it, if you would only permit me to tickle your fancy. _

_I recall once that you spoke to me about my pleasing qualities, one of them, which particularly amused you, were my eyes. You said that you found them to be incredibly intriguing, if a little melancholy. I must make another confession. My sadness, which you seem to have noticed, was only brought on by the intense similarities between you and Eliza, whom you know of. My heart now has been healed, I think. You are a wonderful tonic, Marianne, in that you have the ability to cheer even a statue to liveliness. I venture to guess that Dr Harris would have prescribed your company to me, had fate been so cruel as to separate us._

_Separation. How I despise the very word! My Marianne, every passing moment my heart yearns to see you. I crave to hear your laugh, to see your smile. Yet another confession, if you will permit me: I must admit to a secret delight in the way you wear your hair. The tendency it has in falling over your shoulders in red ringlets fascinates me to no end. When you turn your head, they stretch and bounce so gaily as to illustrate your happiness in everything, it seems. I have longed to touch them, to see if they were really made of silk. _

_My beloved Marianne, I fear that I am hopelessly and desperately in love with you. Being away from Barton for any amount of time brings back my seeming aloof and quiet nature. The very thought of you makes my heart leap and dance as my old body wishes it could. And yet the fear that your affections for me should lessen while I am away from you hangs over me like a storm cloud. I do hope with a fervent wish that it will never be so. Promise me, Marianne, that your heart will never grow cold toward this military man who is so helpless against your beautiful charms. _

_Alas, I must end this letter. The man with whom my business shall be conducted has arrived, and tears me away from submitting more. Please remember that I am ever and always_

_In love with you,_

_C. Brandon _


	2. I Do Promise

**Disclaimer:** see first chapter.

**Author's Notes: **Thank you to my three reviewers. Seriously, the people who have read and reviewed my LOTR fic should be around. I'm feelin' the love, people!

**Summary:** Having received the letter from her lovesick colonel, Marianne replies to his sweetness with her own confessions.

_My Beloved Brandon,_

_I am glad to hear that you arrived safely in London. I am well, though I share your desire to be together again. I read your letter with great eagerness and frequent blushes, I'll have you know. _

_Dearest of my heart, while I smile at the thought of you adopting my sensibilities, I must caution you to sprinkle wisdom to your actions, as I should have done. I do admit that I have been a silly girl, and I wonder that you still have affection for me in spite of it. I am grateful to you, nonetheless. Yes, I will allow your pleasing words to strike a thrill to my heart, my darling colonel._

_You say you are an old man. I forbid you to name yourself that hateful word - do not even consider it in your mind. My heart tells me it is not truly so, in that though you may be a man of six and thirty, I dare venture a guess that you still command the use of your limbs. To prove my theory, I shall give you private dancing lessons in the privacy of our own home when I become your wife. Then you should not be self-conscious before anyone except a devoted admirer._

_I should hope that when you return, your eyes will have less sadness and more merriment. However, I too have a confession to make, dear Christopher. While your eyes intrigue and amuse me to no end, it is not that which delights me the most about you. It is your voice, my beloved. Your voice which, when loosed from your lips, covers your words with such an elegant blanket of velvet. Such richness I have not ever heard from any other. When you speak or call for me, the sound of my name drenched in the utter essence of exquisiteness makes me shiver, I must confess. _

_I am as helpless against your charms as you are against mine, Christopher. I willingly give you my promise that I will never cease to love you. But you must promise me the same, else I be as heartbroken as I had been before you proclaimed your love for me. As it is, I am_

_Eagerly awaiting your return,_

_Marianne Dashwood_


	3. The Daring Colonel

**Disclaimer:** see first chapter

**Shout outs:**

Cloudburst2000 – Back then, couples addressed each other by their last names. It was sort of looked down on if engaged or married couples publicly called each other by their first names. Even a husband would call his wife "Mrs. Smith".

Kyra Invictus – The lost hat may occur either in a later letter or in a different fic entirely. We'll see...waggles eyebrows

**Summary: **The letters continue, and Colonel Brandon learns how to be a little more impish.

_To the lady of my heart,_

_You will never know how happy I am. I only hope to give you as much joy as you bless me with. I will ever be your servant, Marianne._

_So, it is my voice that bewitches you so, my love. I then must speed my business to a close that I may return to you and you will hear your name being called by that which you liken to velvet. But I would hope, beloved, that my lips may do more than simply speak your beautiful name. _

_Shall I be more daring? Shall I woo you again through letters, my dear? Shall I give your sister a reason to be shocked? After thinking upon this...I think I shall._

_Lovingly yours,_

_C. Brandon_


End file.
